News Wrap: Bangladesh’s prime minister resigns and flees country after weeks of protests

In our news wrap Monday, the prime minister of Bangladesh resigned and fled the country after weeks of violent demonstrations., U.S. personnel were injured in a suspected rocket attack at the Al Asad military base in Iraq and Secretary of State Blinken spoke with his Middle Eastern counterparts encouraging them to tell Iran that escalation is not in their interest.
Amna Nawaz:
We begin the day’s other headlines in Bangladesh, where the prime minister has resigned and fled the country after weeks of violent demonstrations.
Sheikh Hasina had been in power since 2009 and was the country’s longest serving leader. Her departure comes after peaceful student protests against job quotas escalated into nationwide unrest that’s left nearly 300 people dead since mid-July.
Today, thousands of demonstrators stormed the prime minister’s official residence in the capital city of Dhaka. Meanwhile, in Washington, the State Department offered condolences for the lives lost and pushed for an orderly transition.
Matthew Miller, State Department Spokesman:
It is vital that we have full and transparent investigations to ensure accountability for these deaths.
What we want to see is democratic order. We want to see the Bangladeshi people choose their own government, and that’s what we will be looking for in the days and weeks ahead.
Amna Nawaz:
The country’s military chief says he’s taking temporary control as soldiers try to calm the unrest. Bangladesh’s figurehead president, Mohammed Shahabuddin, announced today that Parliament will be dissolved and a new government will be formed as soon as possible.
To the Middle East now. A Department of Defense spokesperson has confirmed to the “News Hour” that several U.S. personnel were injured in a suspected rocket attack at the Al Asad military base in Iraq. It’s the second such strike on the facility in less than a month, and it comes amid heightened tensions in the region.
Also today, Hezbollah launched a new drone attack on Northern Israel, leaving two Israeli soldiers injured. That follows last week’s killings by Israel of a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon and a top Hamas leader in Iran. In Tehran today, officials said that last week’s targeted killing on Iranian soil won’t go unanswered.
Nasser Kanaani, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman (through interpreter):
The Islamic republic of Iran will definitely take serious deterrent actions to guarantee its security and punish the aggressor with power, decisiveness and toughness.
Amna Nawaz:
Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke by phone to several of his Middle Eastern counterparts today, encouraging them to tell Iran that escalation is not in their interest.
Meanwhile, the United Nations says it has fired nine staffers from its agency for Palestinian refugees known as UNRWA. That comes after an internal investigation found they may have been involved in Hamas’ October attack against Israel. Allegations of such involvement led more than a dozen countries to pause funding to UNRWA, including the United States. Most have since resumed doing so, though the U.S. has not.
The Supreme Court rejected an attempt to delay Donald Trump’s sentencing in his New York hush money trial until after the November election. The decision also left in place a gag order on the former president. The state of Missouri had filed the lawsuit, claiming that the New York case infringed on the rights of voters — quote — “to hear from and vote for their preferred presidential candidate.”
In May, a jury found Trump guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records. His sentencing is scheduled for September.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas failed to disclose more trips on a private jet provided by GOP donor Harlan Crow in 2010. That’s according to a letter from Senator Ron Wyden to Mr. Crow. The Oregon Democrat wrote — quote — “I am deeply concerned that Mr. Crow may have been showering a public official with extravagant gifts, then writing off those gifts to lower his tax bill.”
The letter is part of an inquiry into the relationship between the two men and comes amid a broader push to clamp down on Supreme Court ethics rules. A spokesman for Harlan Crow said the inquiries have no legal basis.
Pope Francis has named a new leader of the Catholic Church in Boston after accepting the resignation of the city’s longtime archbishop. Sean O’Malley, who’s 80 years old, took the helm at the height of the clergy sexual abuse scandal in 2003. Since then, he’s been a key adviser to the pope and a leading Vatican official on the protection of minors.
At a press conference today, he expressed optimism about passing the torch to Richard Henning, who’s been serving as the bishop of Providence, Rhode Island.
Cardinal Sean O’Malley, Retiring Archbishop of Boston: When I arrived, it was at a time of great crisis and great pain because of the terrible scourge of sexual abuse. But despite all of the challenges that we have, I am filled with hope.
Amna Nawaz:
The Archdiocese of Boston serves nearly two million Catholics, making it one of the largest in the country.
And we have more results and a few spoilers from the Summer Olympics. On the last day of gymnastics, Simone Biles bid adieu to Paris during today’s floor exercise final. She secured a silver medal, while a last-minute score inquiry career boosted her teammate Jordan Chiles to bronze. In a display of sportsmanship, Biles and Chiles bowed to the Brazilian Rebeca Andrade for her golden moment.
Meanwhile, the U.S. won silver in the mixed relay triathlon after the River Seine was deemed safe to swim in once again. Looking at the evening’s medal count, Team USA maintains a healthy lead over China with 78 medals overall.